A Week in Dubai with My Son

In January 2019, my wife had a business trip to Dubai, and our son and I went along with her. We flew together from Singapore on Emirates EK433 on 20 January. For the whole week, we stayed at the Grand Hyatt Dubai.

The curved, striped facade of the Grand Hyatt Dubai with the hotel’s name near the top, behind palm trees, a lawn and a pond with three fountains. — The Grand Hyatt Dubai, 21 January.

The tall curved wings of the hotel rising above gardens of palms and flowering shrubs, with umbrellas and a lawn in the foreground under a clear sky. — The hotel and its gardens, 21 January.

A hotel room with a lit lamp in the foreground, heavy curtains and a small table by a tall window that looks out over the city to the Burj Khalifa and the Downtown towers. — The hotel and its gardens, 21 January.

My wife would be working for much of the trip, so on several days it was just my son and me, going out to explore on our own. On other days, the three of us went out together.

A First Evening Downtown

On our first evening, we joined some of my wife’s colleagues for dinner near Dubai Mall and the Burj Khalifa. We saw the tower lit up at night and watched the Dubai Fountain.

The whole of the Burj Khalifa in late-afternoon light, seen from near its base, its glass tiers narrowing to the spire against a blue sky with white clouds. — The Burj Khalifa in the late afternoon, 20 January.

The whole of the Burj Khalifa lit up at night, seen from near its base, its tiers narrowing to the spire against a dark sky, with lit buildings at its foot. — The Burj Khalifa in the late afternoon, 20 January.

Arcs of illuminated water from the Dubai Fountain sweeping across a dark lake, with lit towers and a curved building with bands of light behind. — The Dubai Fountain, 20 January.

Dolphins and a Quiet Park

On 21 January, my wife went to work, and my son and I went exploring. Our first stop was Dubai Dolphinarium.

My son enjoyed the dolphin show.

A dolphin leaping from a round blue pool in an indoor arena, with trainers standing at the far edge, a large screen above them, purple murals of dolphins on the walls and Dubai Dolphinarium banners along the poolside. — The dolphin show at Dubai Dolphinarium, 21 January.

Afterwards, we rode a tricycle around the nearby park. I remember the park being clean and pleasant, and relatively quiet, without many other visitors.

A paved path through a park under tall date palms and leafy trees, with a bench, trimmed hedges and a distant waterfront under a clear blue sky. — In the park, 21 January.

A Slower Day at the Hotel

The next day was a relaxed one. My son and I spent our time at the Grand Hyatt. He loved swimming, so we enjoyed the pool, and there was also a children’s play area.

A children’s pool with a red tube slide and a colourful water-play tower pouring water, palm trees, umbrellas and blue loungers around it, and a small child standing in the water. — The children's pool at the hotel, 22 January.

A children’s playground under a shade sail, with a blue climbing frame, red and green slides and a yellow play house, palm trees and towers behind, and a small child on the chequered play surface. — The children's play area at the hotel, 22 January.

A small child seen from behind in an indoor play room with soft play blocks in green and yellow, bookshelves and a board covered in children’s paper crafts. — The children's play area at the hotel, 22 January.

Looking up at a ceiling of large curved wooden hull shapes between glass skylights. — The hotel atrium ceiling, 23 January.

A small child seen from behind at the edge of a round wooden platform with a large stone urn, surrounded by dense tropical plants inside the hotel atrium. — The hotel atrium ceiling, 23 January.

I also remember ordering a beer at the hotel and being surprised by how expensive it was.

Later, we went to Dubai Mall for dinner and saw the Dubai Aquarium while we were there.

A huge aquarium tank filled with shoals of fish, sharks and a ray, seen through the glass beside a tall dark advertising panel. — The Dubai Aquarium at Dubai Mall, 22 January.

“Higher! Higher!”

On 23 January, my son and I joined my wife and some of her colleagues for a desert safari.

Rippled sand dunes stretching to a pale, hazy horizon with a few scattered shrubs. — Open dunes, 23 January.

Rows of date palms growing in sand, their fronds forming a canopy, with dunes visible beyond. — Open dunes, 23 January.

We headed out into the desert in 4×4 vehicles, and for my son, the dune-bashing was the highlight. He absolutely loved it. He kept shouting, “Higher! Higher!”

Not everyone in our group felt the same way. Some of my wife’s colleagues were rather frightened by the ride, which made his enthusiasm particularly memorable.

Two red and white 4×4 vehicles parked on open sand, with low dunes stretching to a hazy horizon and a man climbing into one of the vehicles. — 4×4s among the dunes, 23 January.

A long line of 4×4 vehicles parked on the sand at the right, with a few people walking across the open dunes and another vehicle in the distance. — 4×4s among the dunes, 23 January.

An adult walking down a steep dune slope while a child slides down the sand on his front, with rolling dunes beyond. — Sliding down a dune, 23 January.

Afterwards, we went to the desert camp.

Visitors riding camels led by handlers in white robes across flat sand at dusk, with more camels resting at the right and low dunes behind. — Camel rides at dusk, 23 January.

Rows of white and beige 4×4 vehicles parked on the sand in front of tall red dunes dotted with shrubs, with a small child walking between them. — Camel rides at dusk, 23 January.

A desert camp lit with warm lights at dusk, with low walls, palm trees and figures moving about, and large dunes rising behind under a pale sky. — The camp at dusk, 23 January.

One thing I still remember clearly is the welcome coffee at the entrance. It was especially delicious, with a distinctive taste. I wondered whether it had butter in it, or some other unusual ingredient, but I can’t remember now.

Large sculptures of traditional Arabic coffee pots lit from below on the sand at dusk, in front of a lit hut and a tree. — Coffee-pot sculptures at the camp, 23 January.

Two small figures in silhouette sitting on the crest of a dune against a pale dusk sky. — Coffee-pot sculptures at the camp, 23 January.

In the evening, there were performances, and we enjoyed the dinner.

A sandy courtyard in the camp at dusk, with hanging lanterns at the left, lit food stalls under wooden shelters and people walking across. — Lanterns and food stalls at the camp, 23 January.

An audience seated on cushions and carpets in a desert camp at night, watching a performer in front of a lit tent, with a bright floodlight at the right. — Lanterns and food stalls at the camp, 23 January.

Dubai Miracle Garden

On 24 January, my wife was working again, so my son and I had another day out together, this time at Dubai Miracle Garden.

An Emirates A380 aircraft covered in white and coloured flowers, with “Emirates” spelled out along its side, standing above beds of flowers. — The Emirates A380 floral display, 24 January.

A small child in a red superhero T-shirt standing at a railing, looking towards the flower-covered Emirates A380 beyond beds of purple and pink flowers. — The Emirates A380 floral display, 24 January.

Looking at the photographs now, I can see the large Emirates A380 covered in flowers, characters made from plants and flowers, and flower-covered structures throughout the garden.

Giant figures of Mickey Mouse, Daisy Duck and two other ducks made of plants and flowers, in front of a castle, with visitors walking on the paved square below. — Characters made of flowers, 24 January.

Large cartoon characters shaped from green plants and flowers rising behind beds of yellow, red and white flowers, with figures of ants on a lawn and a path running alongside. — Characters made of flowers, 24 January.

Two large cat figures made of green plants with painted faces, standing among flowers under a pale sky. — Cats made of plants, 24 January.

A small child walking across artificial grass among colourful statues of bearded dwarfs, in front of a low wall, flower beds and a giant vase. — Cats made of plants, 24 January.

Tiered pyramids and arches of red, white and purple flowers lining a garden path. — Flower pyramids along a path, 24 January.

A pavilion with a roof covered in pink and purple flowers, ringed by hanging baskets of white and red flowers, seen through a window frame. — Flower pyramids along a path, 24 January.

A child sitting on a yellow wooden bench in front of a lawn with hammocks and visitors, below banks of flower-covered umbrella shapes in red, white and purple. — The hammock lawn, 24 January.

A Yellow Speedboat Along the Coast

On 25 January, all three of us went out together on a yellow speedboat sightseeing tour along Dubai’s coastline. We enjoyed the ride.

The yellow side of the speedboat in the foreground, with spray on the water and a low coastline far across the sea under a hazy sky. — On the yellow speedboat, 25 January.

The photographs from that day show Dubai Marina, the towers of JBR, Ain Dubai while it was still under construction, Palm Jumeirah with Atlantis, and the Burj Al Arab.

Tall towers of Dubai Marina, including the twisting Cayan Tower at the left, rising against a blue sky. — Dubai Marina, 25 January.

A long row of beige apartment towers behind a beach, seen from the sea, with a tall glass tower at the right. — Dubai Marina, 25 January.

The huge white wheel of Ain Dubai under construction above the low buildings and canopies of Bluewaters, with a white yacht moored in front. — Bluewaters and Ain Dubai under construction, 25 January.

A long, low palace-style hotel with domes and a modern white hotel beside it on the shore, seen across open water. — Bluewaters and Ain Dubai under construction, 25 January.

The pink towers and central arch of Atlantis, The Palm, seen across the water behind a rocky breakwater. — Atlantis, The Palm from the sea, 25 January.

The sail-shaped Burj Al Arab and the wave-shaped Jumeirah Beach Hotel on the shoreline, seen across open water, with low beige resort buildings stretching to the right and a small boat on the sea. — The Burj Al Arab from the speedboat, 25 January.

Above the City

On 26 January, the three of us went up to the observation deck of the Burj Khalifa.

The view was breathtaking. Dubai was spread out beneath us, all the way to the sea, and when we looked straight down, we could see the fountain lake far below.

A wide view from a great height over low-rise Dubai stretching to the sea, with towers and a round domed building in the foreground and islands offshore in the haze. — Dubai from the Burj Khalifa, 26 January.

Looking steeply down on a tangle of motorway interchanges and towers far below. — Dubai from the Burj Khalifa, 26 January.

Looking almost straight down on a turquoise lake with curved fountain lines, low buildings on an island and towers along the water’s edge. — The fountain lake from above, 26 January.

Afterwards, we spent some time around Dubai Mall and the fountain area.

A crowd lining the fountain lake at night between two palm trees wrapped in lights, with the fountain and a low arched building with an EMAAR sign behind, and people seated in the foreground. — The fountain promenade at night, 26 January.

Giant glossy blue, purple, pink and green hanging decorations in a mall atrium, seen from an upper floor, with shoppers on the levels below. — The fountain promenade at night, 26 January.

The Palm and a Last Visit to Dubai Mall

27 January was our last day in Dubai. The three of us took the Palm Monorail towards Atlantis and explored the area nearby. We didn’t go into Aquaventure.

Large villas with towers and red-tiled roofs among palm trees, an empty road and a lagoon with a curving sandy shore, seen from above through glass. — Looking over Palm Jumeirah, 27 January.

A calm turquoise lagoon with a low building along the far shore and towers under construction at the left, seen from above through glass. — Looking over Palm Jumeirah, 27 January.

Large grey rocks along the sea behind a white railing, with a boat on the calm blue water. — Rocks and sea along the breakwater, 27 January.

A wide red promenade running along a rocky breakwater beside the sea, with a few people walking, palm trees, buses and a tower under construction at the right. — Rocks and sea along the breakwater, 27 January.

Looking up at the pink towers and central arch of Atlantis, The Palm, from among palm trees beside the road. — Atlantis, The Palm, 27 January.

A water park seen from above, with a stepped tower, white tent roofs, slides, umbrellas and dense palm trees. — Aquaventure seen from outside the park, 27 January.

Pools, slides and rows of umbrellas in a water park seen from above, framed by palm fronds. — Aquaventure seen from outside the park, 27 January.

Later, we went back to Dubai Mall, where I photographed the dinosaur skeleton on display.

A large dinosaur skeleton on a dark plinth beneath a domed ceiling, surrounded by white arches, lanterns and chandeliers, with shoppers walking past. — The dinosaur skeleton at Dubai Mall, 27 January.

That evening, we flew home on Emirates EK432, arriving in Singapore the following morning.